(Photo: Wikipedia)
(Photo: Wikipedia) An Islamic terror group planned to spark a race war on the streets of Britain by bombing a rally of the English Defence League (EDL), a court heard.
The gang of six Birmingham fanatics plotted to attack the demonstration with homemade bombs, guns and knives and possibly wanted to assassinate EDL leader Tommy Robinson.
The al-Qaeda inspired men have all pleaded guilty to plot, which was only narrowly averted by their own incompetence and sheer luck.
It also emerged one of the men had been under watch by MI5.
Opening the case at the start of a sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey today, Bobbie Cheema QC, prosecuting, said had their plan succeeded it would have caused lasting damage to racial tensions.
She told the court the group wanted to “execute a terrible vengeance” on the EDL for what they perceived as blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed.
“It takes but a little contemplation to realise that had the retaliatory attack gone ahead as planned it would have had a powerful impact on relations between different groups who for the most part live peacefully alongside each other in this country and that impact would probably still be reverberating today.
“There can be little doubt that a violent attack of the kind intended to be carried out would have been bound to draw a response in revenge from its target and would most likely led to a tit-for-tat spiral of violence and terror.
“The defendants anticipated as much.”
The Telegraph has the full article
